Identifying the Optimal Age to learn Water Polo Tactics according to Expert Opinion: Insights through Dimensionality Reduction Analysis

Background. It is of great importance that the training process of youth water polo players be tailored to didactic principles and developmental characteristics. However, despite this importance, there is a dearth of pertinent studies. Objectives. The study aimed to determine and explain the appropriate age for beginning of learning tactical elements in water polo, as stated by experts’ coaches’ opinion in this sport. Materials and methods. Accordingly, 27 expert water polo coaches completed a novel questionnaire, specifically designed for this study. Results. Test-retest reliability indicated satisfactory scores (r ranged from 0.85 to 1.00 with p